Milling machine for graining panels



June 14, 1960 FElNER 2,940,489

MILLING MACHINE FOR GRAINING PANELS Filed Feb. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Richard Feiner Aim f ATTORNEY June 14, 1960 R. FEINER MILLING MACHINE FOR GRAINING PANELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 7, 1955 &

ATTORNEY P Patented June 14, 1960 MILLING MACHlNE FOR GRAINING PANELS Richard Feiner, New York, N .Y. (2305 Grand Ave., Bronx, N.Y.)

Filed Feb. 7, 1955, Ser. No. 486,457

2 Claims. (Cl. 144-136) This invention relates to wood graining, and more particularly to an improved method of and machine for producing a simulated natural grain of hardwood in the softer, cheaper woods and other materials.

The appearance of natural hardwood has many pleasing qualities, which are in no small part caused by the granular structure of the wood. Panels of hardwood, or of hardwood veneer, are used extensively for decorative purposes, but the cost of such panelling is rather high. Attempts have been made to imitate the natural grain of the hardwoods by embossing or scarifying the surface of softwood and then applying a suitable wood filler to the thus treated surface. However, the results produced by such prior methods have never been entirely satisfactory and were at best poor imitations of the natural hardwoods. These imitations have usually consisted of a series of similar recurring parallel serrations, whereas nature was not so conveniently regular.

The softwoods, of which pine and fir are typical, are made up of very narrow, hollow spindle-shaped fibres (tracheids) which run parallel to the long axis of the trunk or branch of the tree. Adjacent fibres are connected by randomly spaced patches, the pits, through which water or sap passes from fibre to fibre. In addition to the fibres, such typical softwoods have very thin resin-containing tubes, the resin-ducts, which run parallel with the fibres. In spite of the fact that softwood is obviously not homogeneous, a board cut on a plane at right angles to the radius of the trunk presents a rather flat, uniform appearance and, for that reason, is not particularly decorative.

Hardwood, such as oak and mahogany, on the other hand, when similarly sawed, presents a pleasingly nonuniform appearance both in its natural and its stained condition. Such difference arises from the fact that the hardwoods contain a large number of hollow waterfibres, or wood vessels which in cross-section are visible as pores. When sawed at right angles to a radial plane of the trunk or limb, such hardwoods present surfaces in which the water-fibres are interspersed with the tracheids and thus give the hardwood its distinctive surface. In addition, the hardwoods have much more prominent medullary rays, the thin stringlike, or ribbon-like structures that run from the outside of the wood radially towards the center. Such medullary rays in hardwoods produce the so-called silver grain on the surface of the wood, which still further distinguishes it in appearance from the softwoods.

It will be seen, therefore, that the grains of natural hardwoods, such as mahogany and oak, are quite irregular and are difiicult to simulate convincingly. The described prior attempts to do so have usually produced only a series of recurring parallel serrations, so that the product appeared to be an obvious imitation. The method and apparatus of the present invention produce in softwoods surface indentations which at a small distance appear to be the tracheids or water fibres of hardwood. Additionally, in the practice of the further part of the method of the invention, the medullary rays of the hardwoods are convincingly simulated, so that the end product serves as a very acceptable substitute for hardwood panels.

In accordance with the present invention a series of various-width irregular cuts plus some overcuts are produced on the surface of the wood being treated by subjecting such surface to the various cutting rolls of the mechanism of the invention. After the various cuts are thus produced a grain pattern closely simulating the silver grain of a piece of natural hardwood may be screen-processed onto the prepared surface. The thus treated softwood end product will closely resemble its natural hardwood counterpart.

It isamong the objects of this invention to provide an improved machine which will produce a series of cuts in irregular pattern to simulate the natural grain of wood, to provide an improved method of simulating the natural grain of wood, and to provide an improved method of producing an improved, attractive, decorative panel. Another object of the invention is to devise variations of the basic concepts whereby the principles of the invention may be applied with facility to different situations.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction, operation, and use will more definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts are at times identified by specific names for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context I have contemplated applying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the machine, certain'parts of the machine being broken away for clarity of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a portion of a panel passing under a saw tooth cutter and showing the resulting etiect on a panel.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to 'Fig. 2 but showing an angle cutter and the different type of cut produced thereby.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing an oval cutter and the different type of cut produced thereby.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a skewed cutter and the different type of cut produced.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a panel after it has been run through the machine.

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the panel shown in Fig. 6 after it has been further treated in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a modified form of the cutter.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section view taken generally along the line 9'--9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is .a vertical section view of the cutting disk assembly arrangedto produce a wavy grain cut. 7

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. l which illustrates the progressive grai-ning of a panel 20: i i

The machine 19 is comprised of one upper pressure roller zl and four upper cutting rollers 22, 23, 24, and

r 25 mounted in a row across a suitable bed 26 formed by ous cutting rollers, minimizing the possibility that any rollers. The cutting rollers are provided with various types of individual cutting disks, as will be explained subsequently. I

In order to provide smooth pr'ogression of' the panel through't'he various rollers, vertically beneath each of the rollers 2'1 through and parallel thereto is the 29 which are slidable vertieally in the housings 30. A

threaded shaft 31 is connected to the top of each journal bearing 29 and extends'upwardly being threadedly engaged with the top of the housing 30. A wheel or cross 'shaft is provided to rotate the shaft31.

When the rollers and axles thereof are of appreciable length, it is preferable to provide bearings 32v for the axles intermediate of the end bearings 29 to prevent undue upward flexing of the axle. If intermediate bearings are not utilized, the axles would tend to flex upwardly whereby certain portions of the'panel would not be cut by the various cutting disks. As indicated in Fig. l, such'additional intermediate bearings, generally indicated at 32, are provided on the axles ofthe rollers. It is preferred that, as shown, the intermediate bearings of successive cutting rollers be staggered laterally of the path of travel of the pauelthrough'the machine, thereby allowing the cutting disks of successive cutting rollers to be arranged in non-tracking relationship. a V

1 The bearings 32 are adjustable vertically in a manner generally similar to the bearings 29. A generally horizontal bridge member 33 is connected to the tops of the A threaded shaft connected to each 'bearing 32 is thread- 7 the disk portions, when held in a plane, are strongly and portion of the panel will be missed by any of the cutting edly engaged with a portion of the bridge; member to permit'vertical adjustment of these hearings. I l

The smooth rollers 27 may also be provided with an intermediate bearing to eliminate any intermediate flexing of 'the axle and roller. Since the problem of tracking is not present in regard to these rollers, the intermediate bearings for the smooth roller maybe spaced similarly cutting disks 37 are mounted and held non-'rotatably on a the axle by elongated keys 38, eachof the keysbeing received within a pocket provided by the key'way 36. In addition to the cutting disks 37 non-cutting spacer disks 40 which need not be keyed to the axle and which may be; of various. thicknesses, maybe mounted between the cutting disks, see Fig; 9. The ends of the axle 28, inwardly of the journal bearing 29, are provided with threads 41 to receive lock nuts .42. After the various cutting disks 37, spacer disks40, and intermediate bear lugs 32 have beenassembled on the ax1e,'the nuts 42 of each of the axles are tightened to retain the various disksin a proper position. t If desired, the cutting disks may be formed of two semicircular disk portions 43 keyed together in a manner as rigidly held together. The two-piece construction of thecutting disk permit changing of'an individual disk at any location along the cutting roller without having to remove all the other disks from theaxle. When it is desired to remove such. a cutting disk, it is not necessary to remove the cutting roller from the various bearing housings since the loosening of one or both of the lock nuts "42 provides sufiicient" freedom of travel onthe axle, permitting the particular disk to be replaced by allowing one of the semi-circular disk portions 43 thereof to be slid longitudinally. of theaxle with respect to the other disk portions. This'permits separation-of the dovetail portions 45 of the disk portions from the dovetail slots 44, so that the two portions 43 of the particular disk may then be separted readily from each other and from the axle. .A new disk which is to be substituted is assembled on the axle by operations which are the which produce a series of similar, recuri'ingparallel serrations, and the produots'resultmg therefrom appear to be an obvious imitation. Under the present invention a number of cutting rollers'are used and the'various types of individual cutting blades can be so staggered as to produce a random pattern closely simulating the pores which are found in hardwood. Figs; 2 through 5 illustrate four different types of cutters and show the resulting effect produced on a panel by each of these cutters.

The saw tooth cutter 46, as seen in Fig. 2, produces a series of dots; Fig. 4 illustrates an'oval cutter and the type of cut produced thereby. When this type of cutter is used, the cutting roller is so adjusted that the narrow portion of the cutter just piercesthe wood; Therefore, this cutter produces a series of cuts, some of which will be deeper-and wider than the others due to the V-shaped, hollow ground edges of the disks and the pressure employed at bearing points. V l The angle butter 47, shown in Fig 3,.producesfa series of angular cuts. This cutter,-

can all other out-ting blades, may be formed from a" solid diskjor twodialf disks, similar to the cutting disk shown in Fig. 8f." Iii either case a series of inwardly spaced, radialextending' slits are formed in the outer peripheral edge; 'Theseelits are then bent angularly to-the plane of the disk- 0 pm} duce the cutting teeth 48, the forward end extending from the plane of the disk on one and the rearward endextending outhe opposite side. Some of thetteeth may be provided with indentations 49 to vary the length of the angular cuts produced by this cutter.

Fig. 5 illustnates a skewed cutter 51 and the type of cuts produced thereby. As shown,- this type of cutter produces a wavy' line. The'cuttin-g blade of the skewed cutter is a fiat, circular disk which has a number of irregularly spaced teeth along its peripheral edge. Placed against each side of the blade 51 is a spacerdisk 52, one side of which has been cut on a bias, see Fig. l0. If it is desired to have a numberjof these cutters together, both sides of the spacer disk 52 can be cut on the same bias,'i.e., having both sides parallel, see Fig. 10. If it is desired to place the cutter which makes 'a straight line adjacent the skewed cutter, the spacer disk will have the side which is adjacent the skewed cutter on a bias and the other side straight or normal to the axle 28. i

In some instances it may be desired to have some of the cutsor impressions produced in the surface of the panel being treated extend in a direction other than parallelto the travel of the panel.- This resultmay be; produced by bending some or all of the :spaced teeth on various. ones of the cutting disks somewhat out of the plane 'of such disk as indicated in Fig. 8. a

The peripheral length of the various spaced. teeth on the cutting disks, the angularity of such teeth-With re, spect to the plane of their disk, and the, spacing of the disks along the axis on which they are mounted, as well as the lateral positioning of the disks on the successive cutting rollers, depend upon the pattern of the grain desired and to some extent on the character of the wood being treated. Generally it is desirable to space the cutting disks of successive cut-ting rollers so that there is some overcutting or substantial overcutting. By overcutting is meant the falling of a tooth on a subsequent cutting disk into the trough formed by a previous tooth on the previous cutting roller. Such overcutting provides realistic and natural-appearing grain.

With the selected use of the various types of cutting disks previously described, it is possible to take a panel of softwood and produce thereon a surface very closely simulating the appearance of hardwood, see Fig. 6. The particular use of the particular cutter depends upon the type of cut desired.

While the surface of the panel which has been treated as described by the machine of the invention, particularly when viewed from at least a small distance, appears to be made of hardwood, the simulation is further enhanced by staining. The treated panel may be stained by applying a stain to the treated surface and then wiping it off. Since the stain in the depressed or furrowed areas of the panel is not generally removed by the wiping operation, these areas appear darker than the more elevated, uncut portions of the panel. The stained, treated panel, therefore, like a natural hardwood panel, presents interspersed lighter and darker areas.

Panels which particularly well imitate hardwoods having prominent medullary rays or silver grain may be produced by additionally painting or filling selected areas of a panel which has been cut and stained in the manner above described. A wire-mesh screen is prepared having the previous meshes thereof lying in a pattern simulating either the darker or the lighter areas of hardwoods in which the silver grain is particularly prominent. The panel treated by the machine of the invention and stained as described, is then additionally filled in judiciously chosen areas by application of a filler through the wiremesh screen upon which a natural silver grain has been either hand or photographically copied and aflixed. In one typical method a ply panel having an external layer of fir was indented or cut by the machine or the invention and then was subsequently coated with an oak-colored stain which was wiped 05 the surface of the elevated areas. After the stain had dried the surface was additionally treated by being filled in selected areas with a white filler paint applied through a wire-mesh screen in which the mesh was blocked out in certain areas and arranged in a pattern simulating the lighter areas in the silver grain of hardwood. The described method, when care is taken in the design and spacing of the wire-mesh screen coated areas, produces a panel which is particularly natural looking, see Fig. 7.

I claim:

1. A machine for graining panels, said machine comprising: a series of transversely mounted rollers forming a. horizontal table adapted to support the panel during its progress through the machine, a smooth cylindrical roller mounted transversely above the top of the first roller forming the table and a series of cylindrical axles transversely mounted above the table following the smooth, cylindrical roller; a selected number of circular cutting disks having a circular central portion adapted to telescope over the cylindrical shaft, the central portion of each axle being provided with disk-securing means, the disks being nonrotatively secured to the shafts; circular spacer disks having a smaller diameter than the cutting disks and having a circular central opening, said spacer disks being interspersed on the shaft between the cutting disks; each end of the smooth roller and cylindrical axles being journalled in bearings spaced along the longitudinal edge of the table; a bridge member connecting each pair of hearings; and intermediate bearings for the roller and axles suspended downwardly from the bridge member, the intermediate bearings being attached to the smooth roller and axles at selected points, the points being so selected that they are in nontracking relationship.

2. A machine for graining panels, said machine comprising: a series of transversely mounted rollers forming a horizontal table adapted to support the panel during its progress through the machine, a smooth cylindrical roller mounted transversely above the top of the first roller forming the table and a cylindrical axle transversely mounted above each or" the remaining rollers forming the table, the central portion of each axle being provided with two diametrically opposed keyway slots; a selected number of circular cutting disks having a circular central portion adapted to telescope over the cylindrical shaft being nonrotatively secured to the shaft, circular spacer disks having a smaller outer diameter than the cutting disks and having a circular central opening, said spacer disks being interspersed on the shaft between the cutting disks; each end of the smooth roller and cylindrical axles being journalled in bearings spaced along the longitudinal edge of the table; a bridge member connecting each pair of bearings; and intermediate bearings for the roller and axles suspended downwardly from the bridge member, the intermediate bearings being attached to the smooth roller and axles at selected points, the points being so selected that they are in nontracking relationship.

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